Ohio State Football: 13 Ways You Know You're a Buckeyes Fan

With no professional football, basketball or baseball team calling Columbus home, Ohio's capital city is largely populated by a group of starved sports fans.

The one major outlet for Columbus residents, of course, is the Ohio State football team.

That's one of the many reasons Ohio State has one of the most passionate fanbases in all of college football. More than 100,000 people fill Ohio Stadium to the brim on fall Saturdays to watch the Buckeyes, and according to smart people with fancy degrees, math proves that Ohio State fans are the best in the Big Ten.

Are you part of this prestigious group? Can you truly call yourself a Buckeyes fan?

1. The Phrase "Tressel-Ball" Increases Your Blood Pressure in a Scary Way

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Jim Tressel was without question one of the most successful coaches in Ohio State history, but his brand of football took years off the lives of many Buckeyes fans.

Tressel-Ball was a strategy Ohio State's former coach used often, especially when the Buckeyes were playing with a lead. The offense would morph into a predictable, run-heavy machine in an effort to avoid turnovers.

3. Jumping into a Near-Freezing Lake in November Sounds Like a Super Good Idea

The Mirror Lake Jump is one of the oddest Ohio State traditions, but as the video above proves, it's one that Ohio State students take seriously.

On the Tuesday before the Ohio State-Michigan game (it used to be Thursday, but was moved to Tuesday when the Big Ten schedule extended past Thanksgiving weekend), Ohio State students ignore the chilling temperatures and jump into the ice-cold Mirror Lake.

Last year, temperatures dipped into the mid 40s when these college kids made the jump. Some might think that's crazy, but for true Ohio State fans, it's just a casual dip on a cool November night.

6. January 8, 2007 Is a Black Hole in Your Memory

You remember a celebration in the end zone, and you vaguely remember Ginn getting injured in the pile, but after that, there's nothing.

You don't remember how Florida limited Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith to an unbelievable six yards of total offense. You don't remember Ohio State's defense hemorrhaging big play after big play to the Gators offense. You don't remember the stunned silence that likely engulfed your living room or man cave as you watched the horror unfold.

8. You're Real Tired of the Tattoo Jokes

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You've done a good job putting the scandal that rocked your favorite school behind you, but enemy fanbases aren't so forgetful.

The tattoo-for-memorabilia fiasco that ultimately cost former coach Jim Tressel his job put an enormous stain on the university's brand, and fans of other schools, especially that one up north, find tremendous pleasure in reciting their tired and unoriginal jokes.

It might be a different story if the jokes were funny. They're not, but unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it.

9. You're Comfortable Screaming O-H and I-O in Public

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You might be on vacation, resting on the beach as the calm ocean waves kiss the sand on your toes. You might be walking through the mall, trying to keep up with your significant other as he or she shops for hours on end. You might be at a restaurant enjoying a long-overdue night out.

But when someone screams, "O-H," you have no choice but to respond with a hearty, "I-O!" It's not a choice; there's something in your body that prevents you from going on with whatever you're doing until you complete that four-letter call.

12. You Know This Is Finally the Year Ohio State Utilizes the Tight End Position

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It's almost a preseason tradition for Ohio State fans to get excited about whoever is starting at tight end.

It's an empty hope.

Not one Ohio State tight end has caught more than 25 passes in a single season in more than a decade, yet for some reason, Buckeyes fans annually think, this is the year Ohio State gets the ball to the tight end.

That was most certainly supposed to be the case last year, when Urban Meyer brought an offense that heavily features that position in its passing game.